Can someone tell me why they are so expensive? Are they better? I assume they would marginally lighter, but are there any other advantages?
I’m a big fan actually. I use them on all my bikes. I think you get a pretty good product for the price really. I usually go with the X10SL. My LBS doesn’t stock them so I usually buy on-line. Right now they are close to $40 on Amazon. They pretty light and I’ve never had a problem with strength or wear.
Can someone tell me why they are so expensive? Are they better? I assume they would marginally lighter, but are there any other advantages?
There is no reason to go with an KMC chain. If you are just riding around going with a less expensive SRAM or Shimano option. If you are racing and want the fastest chain - it does make a difference, check out the friction facts results, but I would recommend either an Ceramic Speed UFO Chain or ICE-T Chain. For the DIYer I would seriously invest in the friction fact reports. I paid my $14.95 and the knowledge is invaluable in regards to what chain chain, the process for stripping the factory lube, and then the lube to reapply.
Can someone tell me why they are so expensive? Are they better? I assume they would marginally lighter, but are there any other advantages?
There is no reason to go with an KMC chain. If you are just riding around going with a less expensive SRAM or Shimano option. If you are racing and want the fastest chain - it does make a difference, check out the friction facts results, but I would recommend either an Ceramic Speed UFO Chain or ICE-T Chain. For the DIYer I would seriously invest in the friction fact reports. I paid my $14.95 and the knowledge is invaluable in regards to what chain chain, the process for stripping the factory lube, and then the lube to reapply.
Hey Thomas, would you mind pointing out which report you are referring to? I went to the site and there are a handful there. Thanks
Can someone tell me why they are so expensive? Are they better? I assume they would marginally lighter, but are there any other advantages?
There is no reason to go with an KMC chain. If you are just riding around going with a less expensive SRAM or Shimano option. If you are racing and want the fastest chain - it does make a difference, check out the friction facts results, but I would recommend either an Ceramic Speed UFO Chain or ICE-T Chain. For the DIYer I would seriously invest in the friction fact reports. I paid my $14.95 and the knowledge is invaluable in regards to what chain chain, the process for stripping the factory lube, and then the lube to reapply.
Hey Thomas, would you mind pointing out which report you are referring to? I went to the site and there are a handful there. Thanks
Honestly I would just pay the $14.95 for the whole package (like 12 or something like that). It is $7.95 for just ONE report and each report has valuable information. For most people, buying the reports will pay for themselves, but if you want just one you need to buy the Friction Facts Lube Report. http://www.friction-facts.com/test-results/individual-reports/chain-lube-tests
Thanks Thomas
.
but I would recommend either an Ceramic Speed UFO Chain or ICE-T Chain.
Don’t they cost around ~$140/chain?
For about the cost of one of those you can buy a $40 Dura-Ace chain, a $12 crock pot, an $80 ultrasonic cleaner, and $10 in wax. And be set for a long, long time.
If you want to get that last 0.5W for another $40 you can buy some PTFE and MoS2 powder.
I like this solution because the most significant bit of information out of those reports is basically to keep everything clean. If you buy a $140 chain and get it dirty in the first race, the gains are gone.
If you have your own ultrasonic cleaner and you clean it and relube it for the next race, almost for free. Also great for keeping training chains clean. It’s so cheap actually my training chains are the same as my race chains except a final dusting of PTFE for the race chain.
Maybe those two vendors have special coatings that can beat wax+PTFE+MoS2. But if they can, I doubt it’s by much - tenths of a Watt or something.
but I would recommend either an Ceramic Speed UFO Chain or ICE-T Chain.
Don’t they cost around ~$140/chain?
For about the cost of one of those you can buy a $40 Dura-Ace chain, a $12 crock pot, an $80 ultrasonic cleaner, and $10 in wax. And be set for a long, long time.
If you want to get that last 0.5W for another $40 you can buy some PTFE and MoS2 powder.
I like this solution because the most significant bit of information out of those reports is basically to keep everything clean. If you buy a $140 chain and get it dirty in the first race, the gains are gone.
If you have your own ultrasonic cleaner and you clean it and relube it for the next race, almost for free. Also great for keeping training chains clean. It’s so cheap actually my training chains are the same as my race chains except a final dusting of PTFE for the race chain.
Maybe those two vendors have special coatings that can beat wax+PTFE+MoS2. But if they can, I doubt it’s by much - tenths of a Watt or something.
Yes absolutely, that is why I said for the DIYer to go a different route. Not everyone is a DIYer, in that case, yes buying a chain is the easiest thing for people to do to get the free speed. Frankly they don’t have the know-how and patience not to mess up the DIYer route a lot of times. Others time they just have more time than money.
This is totally separate topic, but I do think that as you start to work with certain chemicals it might be advisable from a financial stand-point and health stand point just to let someone else do it for you. After homestaying/living with other pro triathletes I can say that I don’t see them wearing gloves, ventilation masks, or even doing things outside. I am confident Rappstar is at home with his gloves and masks, he is the exception.
Have you heard of the x10 super lite diamond like coated chain?
Sorry, I missed the DIY bit. My bad.
This is totally separate topic, but I do think that as you start to work with certain chemicals it might be advisable from a financial stand-point and health stand point just to let someone else do it for you. After homestaying/living with other pro triathletes I can say that I don’t see them wearing gloves, ventilation masks, or even doing things outside. I am confident Rappstar is at home with his gloves and masks, he is the exception.
Which chemical are you worried about? Once I got my PTFE and MoS2 powders I went online to look them up. PTFE is largely non-toxic. It’s an inhalation risk when converted to vapor (most famously for people who burn their teflon cookware). But that occurs at much higher temperature than a wax-melting crock pot. MoS2 is also reported to not be low inhalation risk (no inhalation labelling required). Neither harmful for skin contact. (disclaimer: no one should take my word, a guy in the Internets who spent 10 minutes on Google. Do your own research.). Also these chemicals apparently don’t react as part of the process. They are merely particles held in suspension in the wax (again, disclaimer)
I wear nitrile gloves when mixing the stuff into the wax and dipping chains, but no mask. And the gloves are mostly just to avoid accidently dripping hot wax directly onto my hand.
Where can I get a $40 10-speed DA chain?
Everytime I go looking, I come up empty.
Where can I get a $40 10-speed DA chain?
Everytime I go looking, I come up empty.
Lots of places, I think.
Can you clean your casette as well in those ultrasonic cleaners?
I said 10-speed 
Some of us don’t go buying new bikes every year.
On SRAM X-Glide rings, I find KMC chains shift poorly when compared to 1090 or 1091 chains.
I said 10-speed Some of us don’t go buying new bikes every year.
Oh, sorry. Sadly Shimano doesn’t make the 10-speed Dura-Ace chain anymore. They sell one 10-speed chain for DA/Ultegra/105, and that chain appears to be the Ultegra chain. Fortunately that chain performs almost identically to the old Dura-Ace 10-speed chain. Within 10ths of a Watt. I verified this by emailing Friction Facts (after buying all their reports). It’s a little heavier, but whatever.
Can you clean your casette as well in those ultrasonic cleaners?
Yes, as long as its big enough. I regularly clean my cassettes. It’s great. They look like new.
Can you clean your casette as well in those ultrasonic cleaners?
Yes, as long as its big enough. I regularly clean my cassettes. It’s great. They look like new.
Diluted simple green and a scrubbing brush works as well for cassettes and is pretty quick and easy. No need to remove cassette.
Spray on, let sit while wash rest of bike, wet brush and let the cassette auto-rotate while you scrub it.
Diluted simple green and a scrubbing brush works as well for cassettes and is pretty quick and easy. No need to remove cassette.
Spray on, let sit while wash rest of bike, wet brush and let the cassette auto-rotate while you scrub it.
That sounds good if you don’t have an ultrasonic cleaner.
Good overall info on chains and cleaning, thx I will be in need of a new chain soon.